Beyond the Ask: Event Highlights and Video Insights on Meaningful Research Partnerships with Organizations
Updated: 2 days ago
The Centre for Community Based Research (CCBR) partnered with the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging to co-host "Beyond the Ask: Developing Meaningful Research Partnerships with Organizations in the Health and Aging Sector”, an interactive capacity-building workshop held in Hamilton, Ontario. The event brought together researchers, trainees, and community organizations to explore what initiating meaningful, equitable, and sustainable research partnerships with organizations looks like in practice. An advisory team of organizational representatives, older adults, researchers and trainees helped co-design the event, and all event activities.
Advisory team members. Front Row: Bridget Marsdin, Soo Chan Carusone. Back Row: Rashmi Narkhede, Sheeza Kamal, Jeanette O’Leary, Denise Sampson, Pastor Hunter, Sarah Switzer, Tashani Parker. Not pictured: Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald and Lianne Heikurinen
The workshop featured contributions from community and research leaders, including representatives from the Alzheimer Society of Ontario (Christina Stergiou-Dayment), Roots Community Services (Shane Joseph), the Thrive Group Centre of Excellence (Bahar Karimi and Jeanette O’Leary), and the EMBOLDEN research program (Rebecca Ganann). Participants examined practical strategies for initiating, maintaining, and sustaining partnerships that respond to community priorities while advancing research goals.
Co-facilitated by Sarah Switzer (CCBR) and Soo Chan Carusone (McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging), the workshop also encouraged participants to move beyond transactional approaches to partnership and consider how trust, reciprocity, shared value, and mutual accountability can be embedded throughout the research process. Through experiential activities, presentations, discussions, and case-study exercises, attendees explored both the opportunities and challenges involved in building strong relationships with community organizations. CCBR staff Rashmi Narkhede and CCBR volunteer Sheeza Kamal played an integral part in the event, alongside a committed advisory team.
A key message that emerged throughout the day was that meaningful partnerships with organizations begin long before a research project starts. By taking the time to understand organizational realities, identify shared priorities, and create opportunities for collaborative decision-making, researchers can build partnerships that generate value for all involved. Workshop participants left with a deeper appreciation for the trust, time, and commitment required to work alongside organizations in ways that are respectful, reciprocal, and impactful.
To extend the learning beyond the event, CCBR and the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging created videos from organizational leaders, inviting them to share their perspective on receiving external partnership requests. The videos, shared below, highlight perspectives from Shane Joseph (Roots Community Services) and Christina Stergiou-Dayment (Alzheimer Society of Ontario).
These videos capture key insights from community-based organizations on how to navigate partnership requests, and provide practical guidance for researchers, trainees, and community organizations seeking to strengthen their partnership practices. Topics include building trust, understanding organizational perspectives, creating shared value, and fostering equitable collaboration throughout the research process.
Read the full article, written by the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging here: https://collaborative-aging.mcmaster.ca/beyond-the-ask-developing-meaningful-research-partnerships-with-organizations-in-the-health-and-aging-sector/
